how much love was wasted
by duusu
Summary: What if Marinette got to sign the poem she made for Adrien?


"Bye-bye, petit papillon." Ladybug sang and waved at the white butterfly that emerged from her yoyo as it flew away from the destruction it had caused before it was purified.

She smiled and glanced at the Lucky Charm that she used earlier – a love apple with a pattern printed just like her suit. "Miraculous Ladybug!" She chanted and threw the object up in midair, red light flashing as a swarm of ladybugs zipped around the damages caused by the Akuma, bringing everything back to the way it was before Le Dislocæur wrecked havoc in the City of Love.

Right on cue, Ladybug and Chat Noir looked at each other and grinned. "Good job!" They said in unison and bumped their fists together.

Unfortunately for Chat Noir, Ladybug's earrings rang with the familiar beep, reminding them her near deadline of her transformation.

"Oops." Ladybug said, knowing that her transformation is about to wear off in a matter of minutes. A few generous minutes would be perfect, giving her enough time to look for an isolated place to de-transform.

"No wait, come back!" When Chat Noir cried out the simple four words, she ran on the opposite direction away from him.

When another beep was signaled from her earring, all she could think of was finding an isolated place, or a place where she could be at leastalone, so she could de-transform to her alter ego. She swung her yoyo to the nearest building as she made her escape. Hopping from a rooftop to another, she finally saw a perfect place where she could transform back.

Since her mind was too pre-occupied with worry from the second beep that rang to her ear, she wasn't able to hear the distant pleads being sent to her by her partner.

Ladybug jumped from a roof down to the ground, landing in an alleyway where there aren't any people present or nearby. "Perfect," she muttered to herself as she faced the charcoal-colored wall that looked like it's been abandoned for quite some time now.

She waited for her de-transformation to take effect in any minute now, but her whole body froze when she heard a familiar voice from a distance. "Ladybug, I have to tell you something." Her eyes widened from fright. It was a fight or flight situation. As an instinct, she unhooked her yoyo from her belt, planning on running away once again from Chat Noir by flicking her wrist to the nearest thing her yoyo can wrap, but a tight grip was placed on her right wrist of her hand that held her yoyo before she could made her escape. The grip was tight, but it wasn't meant to hurt her in the first place. Its meant was to stop her from running away from him, before he could lose this chance to say what he truly feels about her in this perfect occasion.

Ladybug looked at her partner, worry clear on her facial expression. Their faces were a few inches apart, their closure was a result of Chat Noir stopping her from taking her flight. "Chat, why did you follow me? I'm about to de-transform in a few minutes! Can't you tell it to me next time?" She said in a rush, words coming out sounding like plead.

Panic shot right through Chat Noir's veins when he was forced to choose between two options: one is for him to leave Ladybug here in the alleyway so she can de-transform to her civilian form and let this golden opportunity to slip off; and two is for him to beg his Lady for time, even if it's just a few minutes, just so he can deliver the poem his mind, body, and spirit had been dying to tell to the woman he fell in love with.

"Please, milady, it'll just be really quick. After that, I'll leave you here alone so you can de-transform to your civilian self." Chat desperately said.

Ladybug looked into his eyes that screamed sincerity and… longing? She wasn't really sure of her sudden analysis. His green sclera and emerald irises, along with the black oblong pupils, were screaming at her, as if begging on his behalf to stay with her for just a minute or two so he can say what he's been trying to say before Le Dislocæur ruined his chances.

She can't resist his eyes and Chat himself. Maybe staying for a minute or two won't hurt?

As if it was by cue, her earring made another beep. Panic shot through her veins after a millisecond, knowing that she direly need an abandoned spot to de-transform. She looked into his partner's eyes and sent him a remorseful look. "I'm sorry minou, maybe you can tell me this later during our patrol tonight?" She offered, and before she could let him say another word, she gave him a light peck on his lips. The small, simple kiss made Chat lose his guard, and Ladybug took it as an opportunity to slip off from his grasp. She flicked her yoyo to the chimney attached to the nearest building and made her flight, leaving a dumbfounded cat in an alley.

A familiar beep rang from his ring, snapping him out from his trance. He looked at the glowing neon-green cat paws, one paw rapidly blinking until it disappeared, and as the other four were standing proud against its pitch-black background.

Chat removed his eyes from his ring and looked back at where Ladybug used to stand before she left him alone in the alleyway. He can still feel the ghost of her kiss against his lips. The fact that her kiss felt like it had happened before was bothering him. Why did her kiss feel familiar? Why did he feel like her lips were against his before? He hasn't kissed anyone in his life until today.

He shook his head from the thoughts flooding in his head and just concentrated on getting back home before anyone catches him here. Chat grabbed the baton resting peacefully on the bottom part of his back and extended it until he reached the Parisian roof next to the alleyway. On his fours, he took advantage of the long roof to serve him as his runway as he ran to get ready to jump on the neighboring roof. He jumped on the other building, and the Lady who stole his heart from their first meeting occupied his thoughts. He ran and hopped from roof to roof in a whimsical manner, feeling the wind hit his artificial cat ears and the blond locks of his hair. A smile was ever present on his lips when he saw the sun setting down, thinking that he's about to see his Lady once again later this night.

When he finally arrived to the roof of the famous Agreste Mansion standing proudly near the Eiffel Tower, he climbed down to the window of his room's bathroom. Once he entered his bathroom, he closed the window shut and green light glowed from his body, returning back from Chat Noir to his old civilian self.

Plagg emerged from Adrien's Miraculous with a whine escaping from his mouth. "I'm tired. Can I have some Camembert now?" The kwami floated in midair, following Adrien out of the bathroom and in to his room.

Adrien flashed him a smile that hasn't left his face for quite some time now, "Sure, Plagg. After all, you did a great job helping me out today." He slid his hand on the pocket of his jeans and pulled out the cheese he shared an ardent hatred with because of its foul smell. He held it out, and within a second, it was snatched from him by his beloved kwami. When the cheese was finally stolen from his fingers, he made his way to his desk and a smile was still on his face.

While Adrien was happily thinking of Ladybug and the kiss, Plagg was happily munching on his cheese, letting it roll on his tongue as he savored the flavor he's fallen in love for. "Oh how long we've been separated, my dear cheese." He said dramatically, as he threw the cheese on midair and caught it with his large mouth. "All better now." He gulped and spared a glance at Adrien.

Plagg zipped to Adrien, silently judging the boy that has fallen head over heels for the current Ladybug. He silently suspiciously thought that throughout the centuries, Tikki always makes her Ladybugs put an unknown spell to his Chat Noirs.

"Plagg, can you believe it? Ladybug actually kissed me!" Adrien said dreamily, his head buried on his hands, creating muffled noises that Plagg didn't know that existed.

God knows how Plagg always deals with his Chat Noirs. "Yes, I was there the second time." He murmured enough for it to be audible for Adrien to make him shot up from his seat.

"What do you mean the second time?" Adrien asked with the volume of his voice louder, demanding for an answer from his kwami.

Plagg mentally slapped his forehead. Of course he didn't remember him being kissed by Ladybug. His bad luck must've been brushed on to Adrien because he feels bad for the unlucky boy. "Never mind that, look at the fan mails you received!" He said hurriedly and dived in the pile of letters found on the side of his desk. Plagg was sure the letters were addressed to Adrien from a lot of his admirers, greeting him a Happy Valentine's Day.

"Plagg, don't change the subject. What did you mean when you said the second time?" Adrien was, once again, ignored by his loving kwami.

"Look!" Plagg yelled as he rose from the pile of letters, his small arm holding out a red heart paper. "It's a letter from Marinette."

That must've caught his attention, Plagg thought when Adrien's eyebrows were suddenly arched up and stared at the paper Plagg has been holding.

"Why would Marinette give me a Valentine card?" Adrien took the card before Plagg went flying to one of Adrien's computer screens and banged his head against it repetitively. "Plagg, what are you doing?" Adrien watched his kwami bang his head, entertained slightly, but he won't admit that.

"Just how stupid can you even be?" Plagg whispered to himself, but Adrien heard it and decided not to comment on that as let his kwami continue. "She has a crush on you, stupid." Plagg declared and mimicked Adrien's frown.

"Stop being silly." Adrien said and felt his cheeks flushed for a minute when he thought of Marinette having a crush on him. It's not like he's against it or anything, it's just that his heart is set to another person, his Lady to be more exact. He opened the folded letter and silently read it.

Your hair is golden, your eyes green iridescent,  
when I look at you I would like to share your dreams and thoughts.  
Yes, I want to be your Valentine, we'll be good together,  
I will love you forever, my heart is yours.

Love, Marinette

Adrien looked at the letter as if it was an enigma that couldn't be solved. Her poem made for him was like as if she replied to the poem he was about to give his Ladybug later tonight during their patrol in the city.

"Hey, Plagg, look at this." Adrien called, not removing his eyes from the heart-shaped letter.

"What now?" Plagg flew on his shoulder and silently read the poem Adrien's classmate had made.

The kwami hummed and now flew in front of Adrien, precisely where his line of sight is. "You poor little boy. Remember the draft of your poem for Ladybug that you made earlier in class?" Adrien creased his forehead, but nodded nonetheless, signaling for Plagg to continue. "She must've seen you throw it before you left the classroom and took it when you left. So when she read it, she probably thought that it was meant for her.

Adrien raised an eyebrow at the black kwami. "But why would she read the crumpled paper that I threw?"

Plagg shrugged, "Maybe you missed throwing it in the garbage bin, so she probably picked it up, and then probably read your poem. If my mind serves me right, your words are somehow affiliated with her, which resulted to her thinking it was meant for her, so she wrote a reply for you. Hence, making a poem that you are now reading."

"But how could she think that it was meant for her?" Adrien questioned Plagg's hypothesis.

Plagg sighed, "Adrien, oh sweet, pretty, smart, oblivious, young little Adrien, how could she not think it was her?" He said as he mustered enough strength not to bang his head against one of Adrien's computer screens again. "Re-read the poem you made for Ladybug to solve this encrypted code."

Adrien frowned, and Plagg was kind of amused at Adrien's sudden change of facial expressions.

Doing what Plagg said, he opened his drawer and took the final draft of the poem he made for Ladybug.

Your hair is jet black, your eyes blue as the heavens,  
I want to ask you who you are behind your mysterious mask.  
I see you every day, and I would like to give me a sign,  
I shall love you till the end of my days, will you be my Valentines?

Adrien re-read the poem he made, finally thinking how Marinette thought it was for her.

Of course! Marinette and Ladybug both have blue eyes and black hair, and Marinette must've thought she was the only girl Adrien knew who sported a black hair and a pair of blue eyes.

Adrien panicked for a moment. Marinette was one of the kindest people he's ever met, and she was one of the few friends he treasures. Now, he hated himself for getting Marinette's hopes up and led her to think that he wanted to be her Valentine. He didn't want to break her heart by letting her think that. Losing one of his most treasured friends would be something he'd regret for life and he wouldn't get to forgive himself. Even worse, Marinette won't probably forgive him for getting her hopes up just like that.

"Plagg, what am I going to do?" Adrien cried out, "I don't want to give Marinette the wrong impression, please help me fix this! I don't want to lose her as a friend."

The kwami groaned but offered a solution from his boy's mess, "Based on your stories, Marinette sounded like a really nice kid, probably too nice for her own good. Do you really think she'll end your friendship because of this? Man up and say sorry to her tomorrow at school, explain that it was for Ladybug and you're a huge fan that was supposed to send a poem for Ladybug. You're smart, figure out the rest."

Adrien thought twice about Plagg's offered solution. He wasn't going to lie if he'll do what Plagg said he should. The poem was really for Ladybug and he really didn't mean to lead her on. Plagg was right; he should man up and apologize for his wrong doings.

"Plagg, I didn't know you could be smart despite the amount of cheese stored in your head." Adrien praised his kwami, earning a playful scowl from him.

"Rain me with praises and Camembert later. Right now, you need to patrol and ask Ladybug to be your Valentine." Plagg demanded, not letting his fondness and care for this boy to surface. He didn't want Adrien to use it against him if he found out.

Adrien looked at the window that stretched from the floor up to the ceiling of his room. "Thanks, Plagg, you're the best." A familiar smile was once again plastered on his face. "Plagg, transforme moi!"

With that, Plagg was sucked in his Miraculous, and it became pitch black from silver. Green light shone brightly in the room as his transformation was made, and it quickly died down when Chat Noir stood where Adrien was.

"Time to see my lady tonight."

Ladybug was now sitting on a rooftop of an abandoned house, waiting for her chaton to arrive so they can start their night patrols immediately. The rooftop was the designated place where she and Chat Noir always meet before they start their nighttime patrols.

Luckily for her, the abandoned house was taller than normal houses and it was near the Eiffel Tower, so it gives her a breathtaking view of the tower she has fallen in love with. It was quite pitiful that the house was actually abandoned when it had such a great view of the tower.

Her thoughts drifted and she began wonder what would Chat Noir tell her earlier today when he was desperately trying to stop her from leaving.

Maybe it's because of the kiss she gave him when he was under Le Dislocæur's spell?

She doubted that would be the reason, considering that every memory Chat Noir had when he was under Le Dislocæur's spell was erased from his mind.

"Fine evening, isn't it, Milady?" A familiar voice that Ladybug grew fond of was heard from near her, making her head snap at the direction of the voice's source. "Good evening, Bugaboo." Chat gave her a soft smile as he walked to her direction while putting his now-small baton on his back.

"Well, good evening to you too, Chat Noir." Ladybug smiled as Chat gently grabbed her right hand and pulled it closer to his lowered head, pressing a light kiss against her knuckles.

Once he retraced his head from the gesture, he looked up to his lady's face. "Hope my Lady didn't wait for me for so long. Your Chat in leather armor lost track of time." Chat sent a wink to Ladybug's direction, and received a roll of eyes from her.

"Silly minou." Ladybug laughed, not noticing Chat's fondness spilling. "Before we start our patrol, what did you want to say to me earlier again?"

Chat felt nervous for a second, but hid it with his signature grin. "Well, I made a purrfect poem dedicated for you for Valentine's Day, and I've been waiting all day to tell it to you."

Ladybug's eyebrows arched up due to the unexpected answer that Chat gave her. Though, she didn't actually expect anything at all.

"You've been planning to tell it to me since our first meeting today, I'm curious now," Ladybug said, flashing a genuine smile at his direction. "Do tell, chaton. I certainly do not mind to stay and chat before we get on with our patrols."

Chat's astounding green eyes practically twinkled from her statement. She didn't know if it was because she allowed him to say what he's been trying to say earlier or because she made a pun, which was very unlikely of her. Making a pun didn't feel right, so she mentally noted to never ever make one again.

"Thank you, milady." Chat grinned and gently grabbed her soft-gloved hands. His thumbs caressed both of her knuckles, making Ladybug blush from the soft gesture. Chat closed his eyes, his expression turning a little serious. He gathered the confidence he needed to say what his heart has been longing to say. Despite of being a flirtatious and cocky minou, as Ladybug calls him, he was still a little subdued at occasions like this, as much as he hated admitting it.

When he felt his heart beating faster than usual, he took a deep breath and oxygen filled his lungs as he organized his thoughts. Chat exhaled the air he's been holding, feeling his own heart beating slower until it reached normal. He looked into Ladybug's curious eyes. Blue eyes met green. He cleared his throat and carefully said, "Your hair is jet black, your eyes blue as the heavens," He looked at his Lady's jet-black hair, and then trained his eyes to hers. They were indeed as blue as the heavens.

Ladybug stared at his eyes as well, knowing that he can read the curiosity filling her eyes. Why did his words sound familiar?

"I want to ask you who you are behind your mysterious mask." He continued, his heartbeat increasing again, similarly to Ladybug's.

She has a feeling what he'll say next, but didn't want to confirm her suspicions yet. Her silence was enough for Chat to continue his next line, "I see you every day and I would like to give me a sign,"

Ladybug was still silent, and Chat continued the last line. "I shall love you till the end of my days, will you be my Valentine?"

With his last sentence, Ladybug felt a lump forming in her throat. Why did Chat Noir deliver the poem that Adrien made? Are Chat and Adrien very good friends at Chat's civilian form that they shared a single poem? Funny how Chat and Adrien would be very good friends in Chat's civilian form, since they both have blond hair and green eyes. People must've thought they're twins or something –

Ladybug felt reality slapping her square on the face. If somebody will ask her if she knows a person who possesses a beautiful blond hair that compliments that person's strikingly beautiful dark green eyes that match their lovely smooth voice, alongside a face that is the definition of perfection with a charmingly beautiful spirit to complete the package, she'll be torn between Chat Noir and Adrien.

How could she be so stupid? Why didn't she notice how all of the signs of Chat Noir being Adrien were right in front of her? The signs were practically glaring at her obliviousness.

Ladybug was so busy finishing the puzzle called 'Chat Noir and Adrien' and figuring out what to do, she didn't recognize she had been quiet while giving Chat Noir a confused stare from the moment he finished his poem.

Chat Noir didn't know what her eyes were telling him. Why wasn't she saying anything yet? Did she not like it? Did she have her heart set to another man in her civilian form?

That was most likely the answer.

Maybe his Lady was currently thinking of ways how to tell him she's not interested on being his Valentine. How could've he forgotten that Ladybug also has a life outside her superhero persona. There's a huge possibility that she could be in a relationship with someone else far better than him. Heck, she could have a certain somebody waiting for her in a restaurant for their date in a Valentine's Day night, and he could be keeping his Lady from attending that special event of hers because of tonight's patrol.

Chat could feel tears pooling in his eyes because of the mere thought of his Ladybug in a relationship with someone that wasn't him. Maybe he should accept the fact that he will never get a chance to be her Valentine, or even get into a relationship with her if he was that lucky. Maybe he should get over Ladybug and try to move on with his own life. Though, he doubted that he could do that since his lady stole his heart and it's too late to get it back now.

He blinked rapidly and sucked a breath, silently hoping for his tears not to spill any second in front of his Lady. "I-I'm sorry, I know that was stupid. Please act like you didn't hear it." He breathed and tilted his head upper to avoid them from sliding down to his mask.

He removed his leather claws from Ladybug's red gloved ones, deciding it would be best for him to walk away and for her to save what she has to say. Paris could survive a night without them, since Le Papillon was most likely having a dinner date with an Akumatized villain or a special someone, for all that Chat cares, as long as Le Papillon isn't out in action.

Chat faced the opposite direction, avoiding looking at Ladybug's figure as he blinked away his tears. He took his silver baton from his back as he drifted away from his Lady. When he was about to sprint to the nearest building, a hand was suddenly wrapped tightly around his right wrist, pulling him away from the edge of the roof.

He looked at Ladybug's red hand, and dragged his sight all the way to Ladybug's heavenly blue eyes he has fallen in love with. "Chaton, please don't leave." She whispered sincerely. "I want to tell you something."

Chat looked into her eyes, immediately regretting not removing them after a second. "You don't have to say –"

"Your hair is golden, your eyes green iridescent," Ladybug prompted, making Chat halt from continuing his words of protests. She looked at Chat, ignoring the confusion being signaled to her as her hands gently pulled both of Chat's wrists, placing them between their chest levels.

Remembering the exact words she wrote in her poem she made for Adrien earlier this morning, she continued. "When I look at you, I would like to share your dreams and thoughts." Ladybug now placed either of her hands on Chat's free hands, placing both of her hands in the center of Chat's two large ones.

"Yes, I want to be your Valentine, we'll be good together," Ladybug offered Chat a smile, knowing he wouldn't see it as his attention was directed to their hands. Slowly, she intertwined their fingers, her heart skipping a beat when Chat cooperated genuinely as he intertwined his fingers with hers.

Chat looked at her, with a confused stare she once used earlier when he told his poem. She gave him another smile, and told him the last line.

"I will love you forever, my heart is yours." She said, softness and genuineness present all throughout the poem. With the ending line, she slowly moved her head nearer to Chat's. Ladybug tilted her head slightly to the side, and closed her eyes slowly as she kissed her chaton'ssoft lips.

The kiss they both shared wasn't sloppy or anything similar to that, in fact, it was just like their first two kisses earlier that day, but this one was different in a way where the both of them poured their feelings into this kiss. And unlike the first two, the two of them didn't pull out before the other one could've gotten a chance to respond.

Fingers still intertwined, Ladybug pulled out from the kiss slowly, making sure that Chat received the right signal. "Love, Marinette and Ladybug."


End file.
